No really, I hate buying household products. Not just because of the whole ‘killing tree, chock full of chemicals’ aspect, but because they’re so flippin’ expensive. We usually buy in bulk, so every couple of months when we do have to restock, it tacks another $50-75 to our grocery budget that month.

The worst part is that all the household coupons now are buy 2 get $ off. I don’t the space to store two gigantic bottles of dish soap and two gigantic bottles of dishwasher detergent and so on and so forth. Even if I did, it’s usually a savings of about $.50 on $20 worth of product when you buy in bulk. If BJ’s has a mailer out, then sometimes you can find a good coupon, but they expire in a month. Sometimes, if I’m super lucky and willing to wait/search, I can get good deals at the grocery store on smaller bottles (I got my Mr. Clean Magic Erasers essentially free that way) but we’re very specific about the products we can use thanks to allergies and environmental concerns.

Are  there any necessary items that you just hate to buy because of the price?

Meat also makes me mad, especially since I’d happily eat a mostly vegetarian diet if Mr wasn’t such a picky eater. I love all the variations of rice and beans that his family cooks, but he’d rather eat a big bowl of mealworms.

I do buy meat in bulk for savings except on the rare occasions when the grocery store meat is on a good sale and is actually decent quality (Bloom around the corner, I’m looking at you. Your meat is nasty.) But again, I can only store so much at once.

Popularity: 16% [?]

I have whatever the internet equivalent of nesting is. I just can’t get any theme to look right. And to top things off, I lost my copy of PhotoShop when my hard drive died. I could ‘acquire’ it again easily, but I try to keep things legal round these parts.

On the other hand, I don’t seem to be struck by the nesting instinct in real life. We finally got the nursery painting/carpeted, but the dresser is sitting in my garage waiting to be sanded and repainted. It was our former roommate’s ex-wife’s, but she left it behind when she ran off.  Her loss, our gain. I did manage to sort out all the hand-me-downs by size and get them into storage, though. Thanks to all my cousin’s having girls first, out kiddo is going to be the best dressed tot in town. I think Mr. and I bought a grand total of two outfits, yet kiddo has more clothes than I do.

Okay, so it's not this bad yet.

The rest of the rest of the house is just an epic disaster. The guest bedroom is filled with baby paraphernalia (most of which I don’t even understand) and the junk that was in the nursery. Mr is still moving into his office, so there are boxes and boxes of files and assorted other crap in my living room. I’m in the middle of a very complex costume for this weekend (which I might not even get to wear now) so the back room and my studio are a mess.

And the mess really doesn’t bother me. It probably should, but I think my brain finally overloaded from trying to get all the other stuff done for baby and I’ve reach a sort of clutter-tastic zen. Well, that and I’m so huge that bending over to pick anything up is a massive effort.

Oh well.

Popularity: 16% [?]

My friends and I got into a debate about this on both the environmental and gross out factors.

I’m on the side of peeing in the shower. I see no problem with it on cleanliness since urine is basically sterile and I’m peeing on the drain, not spraying it all over the walls, and it’s all being washed down anyway. I also think it’s more environmentally friendly since I’m already using the water and am not wasting a flush.

Unfortunately, everyone else disagreed. With arguments running from “OMG EW!” to pointing out that by spending an extra 10 seconds peeing you’re probably wasting more water than flushing, it was clear that I wasn’t going to win the debate.

So what do you think? Do you pee in the shower? Why do you think it is/is not a good idea?

Popularity: 34% [?]

Yesterday we took on the counters and drawers, today we’re going to take on the cabinets, pantry and cleaning.

Take stock of what you have in your cabinets and figure out what you really need. Mr. and I ‘inherited’ a set of glasses when a friend got a new set and ended up with an entire cabinet full of sets of 12 cups that we used maybe 4 of. We even had the fancy juice glasses that no one ever uses. It was was wasted space and a waste of glasses. When we moved, the set was pared down to 8 8oz glasses and 8 16oz glasses and the rest were donated to a bachelor friend in need. If we’re having a party, we can always borrow more glassware from friends.

If you’ve got a few shelves of plastic storage containers, now is a good time to go through them and look for ones without lids. Also toss any containers that were not designed for long term food storage or for food storage at all. Saving $5 over 10 years because you’re using old Cool Whip containers or film canisters is not worth the chance of leeched chemicals.
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Popularity: unranked [?]

Kitchens are one of those places where we tend to build up a large supply of items that are supposed to make our lives easier. Take one look inside of a kitchen drawer and you’ll usually find a jumbled up mess of various tools that were used once and then shoved aside (and there’s usually one drawer that’s just a mess of bits and pieces of stuff from around the house). Among the pots and pans there are specialty pieces that never get used. And the pantry is usually filled with things that expired a long time ago.

When you go through all the items in your kitchen, ask yourself

• What is this for?
• Do I know how to use it?
• Have I ever used it?
• When is the next time I’m planning on using this?

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you could possibly need a specialty item in the future. But you have to really ask yourself whether or not you use an item on a regular basis. Sure, crepe pans really make the process of making crepes easier, but if you only do it once ever 5 years, the pan is just wasting space.

Remember, you can usually borrow kitchen items from friends, neighbors or family if you really need the item, so don’t be afraid to remove items you don’t use at least on a monthly basis.

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Popularity: 5% [?]

This product cracks me up simply because half of the reviews seem to be either “OMG this is crap” to “Best product ever!”.

We bought this because I’m trying to reduce my house cleaning and exposure to chemicals/fumes because of the pregnancy.

Personally, we love the thing. I don’t have to be anywhere near the thing when it sprays and it stops me from having to scrub every week.

That said, this product should really only be used in a stall type shower. If you have a bath/shower combo or one of those fancy pants double showers, the spray won’t reach high enough on the opposite wall.

There’s also the problem of the last few inches of tile above where the gadget can spray. You can see a HUGE difference in our shower because where the spray is there’s white tile and white grout, but above that it’s itcky and grey/yellow. You may need to wipe down that top few inches every couple of days anyway.

The product also works best if there’s water on the walls, so if you’re used to squeegeeing down your walls, stop. If the walls aren’t wet, it will only clean where the cleaner hits and you’ll have a few spots of perfectly clean walls and trails of dried cleaner.

The refills are fairly expensive ($3.99 on sale) and lasts about 2-3 weeks. If you’re cheap or just want to use an eco-friendly cleaner, it is possible to jury-rig the refills to use a different cleaner (Directions)

Overall, we think the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner was a good investment for our stall shower.

Popularity: unranked [?]

But cleaning isn’t expensive you say? Next time you’re buying cleaning supplies, take a look at how much a refill pack of Swiffers is.

• Do your cleaning yourself. Maid service is a waste of money.  So you’re a busy, busy person and just don’t have time to ever clean? I call bullshit. Simply by doing 15 minutes a day, you can keep a small house or apartment in reasonable shape. At the very least, save those calls to the Merry Maids until you’re moving out of the apartment or you just found out your parents are coming in 8 hours.
• Make your own cleaning supplies. I’ll spare you a rehash of everyone else’s posts and just send you here for lots of eco-friendly, homemade cleaners that actually work. You may need a little elbow-grease, but they’ll clean your house just fine.
• Skip the paper towels. The next time you accidentally bleach a towel or it starts to get ratty, rip it into cleaning rags. Old cotton cloth (t-shirts, sheets, etc.) make good cleaning cloths and especially good dusters.
• Don’t buy into the hype. This usually is a result of watching evening television with commercials for all sorts of ‘miracle’ products. You don’t need them, honest.
• Do daily maintenance cleaning. You won’t need to waste an entire bottle of cleaner to take on a stubborn stain if you take care of things while they happen. Every day you should wipe down your counters, stove tops, mirrors and faucets, take a brush to the toilets (no cleaner necessary), squeegee the water off of your shower walls, sweep the floors of visible debris , and wipe up any obvious spills or stains. This should take maybe 15 minutes and you can do it during commercial breaks.
• Don’t break out the vacuum unless you absolutely need it. Try to get a carpet sweeper (shouldn’t cost more than $25) and make sure you have a decent broom and dust pan. Not only will you save electricity, but you won’t piss off your neighbors if you want to clean at 2am.
• Put some effort into it. With the proper effort, you don’t NEED expensive cleaners that do all the work for you. Sometimes you may need to whip out a scrub brush, but in the end it will help out your arm muscles, your wallet, your lungs and the environment.
• Bring your coupons. If you are going to buy commercial cleaning products, be on the lookout for coupons. Almost every week Lysol or Clorox has a coupon out for some new product, and if you wait three or four weeks after the coupon appears, they’ll usually be on sale in stores as well.

Popularity: unranked [?]

I’m still ‘Poo Free and loving it. Little by little, baking soda has also been sneaking it’s way into the other things I do in the bathroom.

1. Bath Soak – ~1/4 cup in the bath water (I know, I know, baths are a waste of water, but we all deserve an indulgence every once in a while.)
2. Shampoo Substitute – Duh
3. Exfoliant – Make a thick paste of baking soda and water for a gentle exfoliant. I like to use this below the belt before shaving to help prevent ingrown hairs.
4. Gargle – A weak baking soda solution is often a good remedy for food induced bad breath.
5. Toothpaste Substitute – Instead of paying extra for baking soda in your toothpaste, dip a damp toothbrush into a little baking soda and then brush to keep your teeth white. Just don’t forget to also use commercial toothpaste, because baking soda doesn’t fight cavities like fluoride does.
6. Drain De-clogger/De-oderizer – Put ~1/4 down the drain followed by white vinegar, wait until the fizzing stops and then pour in some boiling water.
7. Bathtub/Sink Scrub – Use like Comet on a damp spunge. For grout, mix a thick paste of baking soda and water.
8. Trash Can Deoderizer – Obviously changing the bag more often works, but sprinkling a little baking soda in the bottom of the can will help keep the smell down in between changes.
9. Shower Curtain Mildew Remover – Soak the offending curtain in a baking soda solution and then scrub like crazy.
10. Toilet Cleaner – Every time you leave a ‘deposit’, flush, and then sprinkle a little baking soda in and do a quick scrub with the toilet brush. Takes 30 seconds and keeps any odors or stains from happening. If there already is a stain, use about 1/2 cup of baking soda and let it sit before scrubbing.I’m sure the ‘experts’ could give you more uses, but some are a little more granola than I’m willing to go (like using it as deodorant.)

Popularity: unranked [?]

There is no need to spend a ton of money on expensive, nasty smelling, caustic commercial cleaners in order to keep your pad clean. You can get the same results with environmentally friendly items you can pull out of your cabinets: white vinegar, baking soda and water.

The next time you finish off a bottle of commercial cleaner (it wouldn’t be frugal to just chuck it, after all) thoroughly rinse out the container and fill it with a solution of 1/4 parts white vinegar to 3/4 water. This can be used as an all purpose cleaner. More uses for white vinegar.

Baking soda is an effective deodorizer and scouring agent. It’s especially effective for tough scrubbing in the bathroom. More uses for baking soda.

You can also avoid wasting paper towels and commercial cloths by cutting up your old towels and t-shirts for rags and dusters. Leave the ‘cleaning systems’ at the store and remember that a clean dustrag and a good old-fashioned mopping will work just as well.

I admit I was skeptical the first time I tried cleaning with homemade cleaners. But after a few weeks of not needing gloves and a mask to clean, having a house that smelled clean and not like chemicals and having fantastic results, I won’t use anything else.

stock image from stockxchng

Popularity: 11% [?]

It’s around that time of year when people start pulling their summer clothes out of storage. Now is a good time to clean out your closet to not only make room, but to practice a little frugality as well.

First, go through the closet and remove everything that doesn’t fit you well and make you feel like a million bucks. Check and make sure you have at least one week’s worth of business clothes, one fancy dress, a few days of casual clothes, and a few days of play (grubby) clothes left. If you don’t go back through the ‘reject’ pile and pull a few items you can live with for now.

Second, go through the reject pile and start dividing it into a few more piles:

1. Designer and Brand Name Duds
2. Career Wear
3. Fancy Clothing (including bridesmaids dresses, cocktail dresses, and formal wear)
4. Casual Clothes
5. Grubby Clothes (things with holes, stains, etc)

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Popularity: 11% [?]